Programming with Calliope mini
Programming courses for children at as many elementary school in Saxony as possible
Since 2016, the microcontroller “Calliope mini” including teaching material has been available as a class set and offers an excellent opportunity to introduce primary school children from the 3rd grade onwards to the world of programming in a playful way. To successfully run these extracurricular programs, schools can already pay dedicated volunteers and apply for funding to purchase materials such as a class set of “Calliope mini.” What is still missing, however, are qualified lecturers who can lead such computer science-oriented courses.
Our goal is to facilitate such exciting STEM offerings for interested children at 100 elementary schools in Saxony within the next two years.
If you are interested in fostering the next generations of innovative minds and making a valuable contribution to STEM education, we invite you to become a coach and join us in spreading the enthusiasm for programming in elementary schools.
Profile
Duration: June 2023 – April 2026
Funding: Saxon State Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs
Target group: Companies that want to get involved in society, private individuals, Saxon elementary school
Contact
Ann-Christin Böttger
+49 351 8973-3864
ann-christin.boettger@silicon-saxony.de
Projektabteilung
projects@silicon-saxony.de
Follow the project
Project results
Success stories
The project has already connected numerous schools and coaches in Saxony to get children interested in programming and STEM subjects at an early age. The proGTA platform, a variety of workshops and strong partners from business and education have created a growing network that creates sustainable structures for computer science education – and thus lays the foundation for comprehensive STEM promotion in Saxony. Find out more about the successes here.
What our members say
Since February 2023, I have been teaching weekly programming with Jennifer Jahn to fourth grade children using the ‘Calliope Mini’. We want to encourage children to master the digital world around them and spark their interest in technical projects to nurture the next generations of IT experts. Thanks to Silicon Saxony, we have been given the opportunity to network with an interested school and advance this important topic.
Everyone is talking about digital education – but the great need will only be met promptly through joint efforts and clever cooperation between schools and business. That’s why I support the project ‘Programming with Calliope mini’ as a coach and in networking.
The project at a glance
Enthusiasm for technology right from the start
- Together with LJBW – Landesverband Sächsischer Jugendbildungswerke e.V., Silicon Saxony supports the extracurricular program (GTA) “Calliope mini”.
- Children in Saxony who are enthusiastic about technology are thus given the opportunity to learn about programming in a playful way at an early age.
Get kids excited about your STEM topics
- Show social commitment as a company (e.g. release employees for one afternoon a week for GTA).
- Everyone can get involved: Programming with the “Calliope mini” is child’s play. More important than prior knowledge is enthusiasm for the cause.
- Lay the foundation for the young professionals of tomorrow with us.
Matching
- In the portal www.progta.de we bring together committed coaches and interested elementary schools.
- Volunteers and companies can participate at any time.
Project impressions
In the programming environment, you can write programmes that are transferred to the Calliope mini.
Microcontroller Calliope mini
The coaches are always there to support the children.
Programming with Calliope mini is child’s play.
Related links
Always stay up to date
Calliope Newsletter
You would like to be informed regularly about events and news from the project activities? Then sign up for the Calliope newsletter right away.
Project partners
The Programming with Calliope mini project is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the members of the Saxon state parliament.
